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USAMRAA announces solicitation for botulinum neurotoxin assay kits

The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) recently announced a solicitation for assay kits to detect botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT).

The solicitation seeks assay kits for the routine detection of BonT serotypes A B, C, D, E, F and G. The requested assays are required to accurately measure the proteolytic cleave of SNAP25 or VAMP2 - natural BoNT substrates. The assays must also be able to mix and read format and use most standard fluorescent plate readers.

The solicitation adds that "the FRET-based nature of the assays allows for real-time detection of BoNT proteolytic activity enabling the determination of kinetic constants and the determination of enzymatic activity."

Additionally, the assay must have pico molar to fentomolar sensitivity and contain a reporter that consists of residues 141-206 of SNAP25. The substrate is required to be sandwiched between two fluorescent proteins - a cyan fluorescent protein derivative and yellow fluorescent protein derivative.